


Astral Scattering

by spicygenou



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe, Galra Keith (Voltron), M/M, Prince Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-08 07:01:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10381173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spicygenou/pseuds/spicygenou
Summary: AU. It is a time of peace, and Voltron has been hidden away for over a century. When it reawakens, the search to find five beings worthy of assuming the role of Paladin begins. King Alfor of Altea forms the Garrison, summoning eligible students from all known planets to begin training for the selection ceremony. Among the students: his son, Prince Lance, posing as a minor lord to avoid detection; Keith, a Galra with a guarded past; Shiro, a human raised on Galra; Hunk, an intelligent university student from Earth; and Pidge, the youngest to be admitted, also of Earth. While the aspiring students fight for a chance to bond with any of the Lions, the question of why Voltron chose this moment to rise remains.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yo! Here's my first multi-chapter fic in the voltron fandom! Enjoy :)  
> Chapter 1's a bit of a prologue of sorts, just setting the scene and relationships!

In typical Lance fashion, the young prince was running late. He usually wouldn’t care about appearances, nor would his advisers, but for once he found himself hoping to make a good impression. He was meeting his class, after all, the peers selected from far-off planets all in an effort to find the five Paladins to pilot Voltron. Since he fully intended on being one of the top students chosen to attempt to bond with the weapon/creature/magical thing that even his mentors couldn’t fully understand, he figured showing up on time for orientation would be of the utmost importance. He supposed his excuse—an impromptu meeting with the king, his father, was a legitimate reason for his tardiness, however he had specifically requested that his identity as the prince of Altea be kept on a need-to-know basis among the staff, so surely the students would only see an irresponsible—but attractive, he reminded himself with a smirk directed at no one in particular—local teen.

Finally at his destination, he took a deep breath; he’d long since mastered maintaining a confident air, and so, without further ado, he entered the building’s grand hall. The large doors creaked at the disturbance, and countless eyes turned toward the intruder.

He chuckled a bit uncomfortably, waving toward the glares. From the front of the room, Coran, his longtime personal tutor and a professor at the fledgling institute, sighed loudly. The older man tilted his head to the side, instructing Lance to get in line with the rest of his peers.

Most of the other students—some were around his age, he figured, young adults, while a few looked a bit older—redirected their attention back to the speaker at the podium, Lance’s older sister, as it was.

“In conclusion,” she was smiling brightly, but Lance could sense her boredom from his position in the back of the room. “The royal family welcomes you to Altea. I implore the Altean students among you to act as receptive hosts to our new friends. You were all selected based on recommendations from your local planetary educational institutions. We know all of you can excel at the Garrison, and we hope this upcoming year will not only reveal the five new Paladins of Voltron, but will also leave you all with training and education that you can bring back to your home worlds, carrying out the Altean spirit of service across the universe.”

The students and professors clapped politely, a few of the Alteans acting a little more rowdy out of pride for their princess. Lance had heard the speech a dozen times the night before and didn’t clap—Allura had completely skipped a sentence, and he already knew she’d be upset about that. Allura’s one flaw was her inability to recognize that everyone thought her perfect—she was her own worst critic.

For the next few hours, the students were split into several groups in order to be led on a tour of the facilities. Lance already knew the layout, as he’d been forced to suffer through numerous meetings on escape routes in order to guarantee his safety—he’d implored his father to allow him to attend the Garrison without a bodyguard, and after a lot of groveling, he’d been granted his wish. However, unlike the rest of the students, he wouldn’t be staying in the on-site dorms, as that was deemed too risky. Instead he’d be making a daily commute from the Palace to the campus, which would surely only hurt his attendance.

He couldn’t complain, though; it had been hard enough even convincing his father to let him attend the school, after all. He had the marks and the physical capabilities, but it wasn’t seen as a career path for a noble. It was only his status as the second child that granted him permission. Allura, too, had wished to join the school, and her superior piloting and leadership skills made her an ideal candidate. However, given that she had a vested interest in Altea over the other planets, it would be unfair—in the eyes of the Galaxial Council, that is—for a ruler to have access to such a powerful weapon. Should Lance be chosen to be a part of Voltron, he would be forced to give up any claim to the throne of Altea, though he hoped of course that he’d never have to take over in place of Allura. Likewise, all the Paladins would be required to declare loyalty to Voltron’s peaceful mission over their own fatherlands.

Reforming Voltron in the wake of its unexpected reveal had been a Council decision, though it was ardently opposed by the Galra nation. After the Great War, which resulted in the formation of the Council, Voltron and its Paladins had been hidden away. At the time, the Paladins were all Altean by birth, and other planets—especially Galra, who'd been thoroughly defeated by Voltron before surrendering—thought them too strong because of it. So, they agreed to relinquish the weapon, and a neutral task force had seen to distributing the Lions across the galaxies.

Thus the Garrison was formed. The individual Lions were brought to Altea, since they volunteered the resources to form a school, and invitations were sent to all Council planets requesting outstanding individuals willing to uproot their lives for a year of training and, potentially, a lifetime of service.

Given his status as a prince, Lance had dealt with many a foreign dignitary. He hadn’t had much occasion to spend time with commoners, however, so he was a bit awkward during the first few weeks of school—his speech was too elevated, he didn’t know a lot of the popular culture, and he wasn’t the best at casual conversation topics. It didn’t help, either, that he wasn’t staying in the dorms with his peers, and he found himself growing discouraged by the ostracism. He’d never known teenagers to be so cruel—no matter how kind he was, people seemed more concerned with getting ahead. He of course wanted to be a pilot, but he saw no harm in making friends along the way. After all, Voltron was a team, one that required balance and chemistry.

With time, however, he made a friend among the students, a human named Hunk. The young man was brilliant, Lance thought, and he made sure to tell him as much every day. Kind, mild-mannered, a gifted engineer… his piloting skills, however, weren’t the best. It wasn’t that he couldn’t fly, rather that his stomach prevented him from making certain maneuvers. Lance was great at consoling him, at the very least, so his confidence was steadily building.

Lance excelled in the classroom, thanks in part to his tutors, but in sparring and piloting, he had room for improvement. He’d had fencing training growing up, but even so he was hopeless with a sword. He knew his forte was shooting, but the Garrison program had no scheduled testing for such skills. That and his lack of experience with piloting actual ships at the behest of his father led to him having lackluster scores in those classes; since sparring and piloting were the only publicly posted scores, he felt discouraged.

Excelling in both subjects where Lance was weakest was Keith Kogane. Lance didn’t know much about him, other than that he was a Galra who didn’t get along well with others. The only person he talked to at the Garrison was an older man named Shiro, a human who’d spent his life on Galra—apparently they’d been friends prior to coming to the Garrison.

They hadn’t met, only sparred on occasions, but Lance didn’t like Keith. He was cognizant enough to realize that his animosity was born from jealousy, but his competitive side wasn’t the sole motivation for his rivalry. Keith wasn’t the nicest student, often making comments when others failed that, to a friend, may seem like suggestions, but to strangers, were nothing less than insults.

Lance, on the other hand, was steadily growing more and more popular. He was full of compliments—sometimes even broaching on flirting, much to his peer’s amusement—and they were genuine. In addition, he had no problem helping people with assignments or offering study guides when it came time for tests.

Knowledge of his generosity was so well-known, even the professors knew of his reputation. It was no surprise, then, when Coran pulled him aside after a history lesson in order to make a request. Lance agreed immediately—who was he to turn down a shy student struggling with their marks, after all? Surely it wouldn’t be any different from his other pupils.

Coran had been smart in keeping the name a secret; when Lance strolled into the professor’s office, smiling in anticipation of making a new friend, he froze. His grin was replaced with a glare, as across from Coran was none other than Keith Kogane.

“Ah, Lance, right on time!” Coran stood, beckoning Lance to further entrap himself in the room. “I’m sure you know Keith, correct?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure,” he forced the words through his teeth. He nodded his head. “Name’s Lance.”

Keith raised a brow. “You’re the one with the shitty flight scores. I kicked your ass once, too,” he noted plainly. His tone wasn't malicious, but the words still stung.

“What the—?” he started. He stomped his foot. “Don’t be an asshole about it!”

“I’m just telling the truth,” Keith huffed.

“I’m not working with this pompous little—“

“Now Lance,” Coran chided. “I think this could be a good opportunity for you two. Keith is one of our best pilots; however, given his grades in the formal classes, he won’t be allowed to continue at the Garrison in the upcoming term. He needs to get his grades up, and I think you can help him.”

Lance crossed his arms. “And if I say no?”

“Not an option, I’m afraid! I’ve already discussed this with your father, and in order for you to continue at the Garrison, you’ll have to meet with Keith three times a week for tutoring!”

Lance’s mouth fell open. “What? How is that fair? What if he fails anyway?”

“Of course, you won’t be penalized for no improvement, assuming that you actually try to help him.”

“I don’t need help,” Keith insisted. “I don’t see the need for classes, anyway. It has nothing to do with forming Voltron.”

Lance scoffed. “Wow, alright. You do realize Voltron isn’t just a weapon to use whenever you feel like it? As a paladin, you need to be culturally trained so that you can interact well with new populations as well as Council planets. Besides, math and applied sciences are always relevant when it comes to space travel and tactical theory.”

“Well, fat lot of good theory’s doing you!” Keith countered. “What’s it matter if you can’t even fly without crashing the simulator?”

“What the hell is your problem? I’ve never done a thing to you!” Lance yelled. “So what if I’m not the best pilot? I deserve respect!”

Keith rolled his eyes. “Oh, sorry, _your highness_ ,” his words were laced with sarcasm. For a moment, both Lance and Coran froze. They both seemed to realize that he was merely exaggerating at the same time.

“Keith, Lance is right. It’s imperative that you improve your studies beyond just the physical tests. To form a bond with a Lion, your mind must be strong as well as your body. You both have things to work on, and I believe that together, you can become ideal Paladin candidates.”

It was the first time a professor had voiced such an opinion to Lance, and he was shocked into silence. Keith, too, seemed moved, though any emotion was masked by an annoyed frown.

“Alright,” Lance said. “I’ll help Keith, then.”

“Excellent. And Keith, if you have time, perhaps offering some _constructive_ advice to Lance would be ideal, don’t you think?” Coran prompted.

He shrugged. “Whatever.”

“Then, let’s get started immediately! You both have a few free hours before flight simulation begins, so how about you get better acquainted. Keith, you can describe to Lance more about what you’re struggling with. How’s that sound?”

Lance gave a thumbs up. “Perfect, sir! I’ll have this guy scoring top marks in no time!”

Keith groaned, already sick of the other’s bubbly attitude. “Can’t I just dropout?”

“Nope!” Lance and Coran cheered together.


	2. Chapter 2

Keith had expected tutoring to go poorly, but he never would’ve anticipated the extent to which just how annoying one person could be.

Grumbling to himself, he slipped into his room. For once, Shiro was there—usually his roommate was off studying somewhere quiet, working out, or exploring the capitol city.

“This tutoring sucks,” he whined. Shiro rolled his eyes, already up to speed on Keith’s feelings about Lance. “He gave me even _more_ work! I did everything he asked, didn’t I?”

“Did you?”

“Well,” he frowned. “I finished it, at least. Maybe I didn’t do it _right_ … or try particularly hard, but so what?” He threw himself onto his favorite seat in the common room. “And, his schedule is so inconvenient! He’s making me miss out on runs three times a week.”

“Can’t you guys meet later in the evenings instead of right after class?”

“He doesn’t live in the dorms, so he always has to go home in the evenings.”

“I see. Well, that makes sense. If I had the option, I’d probably choose to live at home, too.”

Keith actually hadn’t thought of it in that way, rather figuring that Lance thought himself too good for the dorms. There was something _off_ about the other boy; even though they’d only met a week before, Keith thought he carried himself a bit… differently. He’d always thought Alteans a bit snobbier than the average Galra or Earthling, but even the other local students weren’t nearly as weird as him. He’d scoff at their food, their rooms, everything. He’d heard someone saying that Lance’s father was a minor lord, or something. Perhaps he was simply rich and spoiled—it was to be expected then, that he be smarter, given his superior schooling all his life. How was Keith to compete with that?

Through all his complaining, Shiro remained a constant and patient listener. He had yet to meet Lance, so he had no official opinion, but he understood Keith’s mood. He knew Keith well, saw him as something akin to a younger brother given their shared childhood. He knew that Keith wasn’t the greatest at socializing, to put it lightly, and that he was blunt and harsh; most perceived it as rudeness, but he never intended his words to be that way. Even with those he trusted or liked, his sharp words often stung. When he was critical, it was because he believed them capable of great things. It would be more telling, then, if he never said a word, as that would mean he didn’t care whether the person succeeded or not. Shiro had already had to diffuse a few fights between Keith and other pilots during team simulation drills, as he’d criticize their actions the second the flight ended, all in an effort to encourage improvement that, unfortunately, failed.

In addition to some social difficulties, Keith’s inability to focus during their long and tedious classes was, Shiro believed, primarly responsible for his low marks. After returning from his shorter, more concentrated sessions with Lance, Keith could easily recall what they’d spoken on; however, ask him to talk about Coran’s lecture that morning, and he was helpless. There was nothing wrong with Keith or his learning style at all, it just, perhaps, wasn’t well-suited for the formal setting typical to Altean classrooms. On Galra, teaching was a bit more hands-on rather than lecture-based, and that’s what they were used to. It was no surprise that they both needed some time to adapt, though Shiro’s temperament and maturity made his transition much smoother.

Keith finally seemed to have vented enough for the day, and Shiro stood. “Well, it’s time to get ready for the dinner.”

“The what?”

“We have a dinner tonight, at the palace?” he began. “Did you forget?”

He pursed his lips. Now that Shiro mentioned it, Lance had been going on about some function or other taking place that night. “What for? What good will a dinner do for us? It’s just another silly distraction. I don’t get Alteans, they have to make everything a damn event.”

Shiro chuckled. “It’s a difference in culture. Since the Garrison is situated so close to the capitol, it makes sense that we interact occasionally with the royal family.”

“I think it only shows favoritism toward the Alteans. We’re all here to form Voltron, a neutral body. They’re just trying to buy the future Paladins with gifts.”

He frowned. “Keith, I don’t think it’s like that. They just want us to be comfortable here. I mean, most of the students are still young, barely adults. I’m one of the oldest ones here, and even I’ve struggled a bit with adapting. We could all use a fun break every once in a while.”

“What’s fun about a stuffy dinner and a dance? I barely passed that etiquette lesson.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you with the little things. At the very least, maybe you’ll see someone making a fool of themselves.”

Keith imagined Lance tripping over his feet in front of the king, but instead of smiling, he frowned. The image wasn’t as pleasant as he’d originally thought. Sure, Lance was annoying as hell, and for some reason he’d boldly declared them rivals a few days prior, but he hardly hated him.

“Fine. What am I supposed to wear to this thing?”

* * *

 

He felt, in a word, ridiculous, a sentiment he’d shared frequently with Shiro on their short trek to the palace. Shiro insisted that he looked fine, but he wasn’t buying it. Why, the only student dressed more gaudily than he in his junior Galra army cadet uniform was Lance, and Lance was… well, Lance. His robes seemed unnecessarily fancy in comparison to the other Alteans, rivaling those worn by the royal family—perhaps there was some credence to that rumor of his ranking, after all.

In a twist of fate surely arranged by bored gods out to get Keith, he was seated far from Shiro, right next to Lance and a young girl he’d yet to meet, though he thought he remembered her name to be Katie.

Lance’s polite greetings were met with curt responses, and so he chose not to further converse with Keith, instead turning to his other side and chatting with another classmate—Keith really should learn their names, he noted to himself.

The girl next to him, however, wasn’t as easily shaken as Lance.

“Hey,” she said simply, extending a hand. “You’re Keith, right?”

“That’s me,” he attempted a smile, though he could feel that it looked more like a grimace. “What’s your name?”

“Pidge,” she shook his offered hand. “You’re friends with Lance?”

“We study together.”

She raised a brow. “Oh? He’s always talking about you.” She leaned forward, checking to see if Lance was listening in. Seeming satisfied that he was otherwise engaged, she smirked at Keith. “He’s nice, don’t you think?”

“If you mean overbearing, sure.”

She laughed. “Don’t give him too hard a time. He’s never been around so many kids his age before. He’s still trying to learn how to behave normally.”

He frowned. “Now’s hardly the time. We’re here—“

“To form Voltron, yeah yeah,” she waved her hand idly. “But, the selection ceremony’s not for another few months. And, Voltron’s a five-person squad, you know. Compatibility between the five is just as important as compatibility between the Paladin and their Lion.”

“I guess,” he hummed. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t heard that comment from everyone already. Could he be faulted for not being a social person?

“What about you?” she continued, ignoring his pensive look.

“Huh?”

“What’s your story? You’ve got this whole brooding, bad-boy aesthetic. Does that come with a backstory?”

He chuckled. He liked Pidge, he decided. Instantly, he felt his shoulders loosen, his face relaxed. Turning slightly so he could face her, he replied. “You’re not a high enough level friend to unlock my tragic backstory.”

Her laugh—more like bark—echoed through the room. “I knew it! You’re just a meme-loving fuck!”

He returned her amused smile. “It’s not like we don’t have internet on Galra. I’m hip!”

“Yeah, the mullet was a dead giveaway!”

Lance had often made comments on his hair, to which he usually would glare and give his own quip. With Pidge, however, he simply laughed. “Sometimes I can’t contain my inner Billy Ray, unfortunately.”

Until dinner began, they continued their conversation, both sharing a healthy interest in each other’s cultures. When King Alfor rose to offer a toast, Keith made eye contact with Shiro who was beaming at the sight of his little brother getting along with someone else. He hid behind his hand, directing his attention to the king.

His speech was impassioned, though a bit dull, in Keith’s opinion. He had much preferred Allura’s speech at orientation. After Alfor, Coran spoke, then a guest who Keith was surprised to see: Kolivan, current commander of the Galran army. As a member of the youth training corps back on Galra, Keith of course had seen him, attended speeches by him, in fact. Kolivan was one of his heroes, the reason he aspired to join his homeland’s army. It was on Kolivan’s recommendation, too, that he was sent to Altea from his military academy. It was for Kolivan and for Galra that Keith worked so hard to be a part of Voltron; he sought peace through any means necessary so that no other worlds would be as devastated by mindless war as his planet had been a century before.

Kolivan’s words were brief, but encouraging, preaching comradery among not only the represented species in the Garrison, but all species outside the Council’s reach. His speech was met with loud cheers, especially from the other Galra students.

The dinner commenced, and Pidge was quick to help Keith pick up the right utensil. When she too was confused—apparently Altean formal dining was more complex than Earth dining—he kept an eye on Lance, as he seemed to have the right idea of when exactly to do things, where to place utensils when he was finished, when to stand and bow between courses, and the like.

A bit exhausted from the whole ordeal of simply eating, Keith wasn’t looking forward to the dancing portion of the evening. They’d had a quick few lessons on traditional Altean dances—for the sake of future diplomatic visits by the Paladins, apparently—but Keith had long since forgotten the steps. Thankfully, Pidge pulled him toward a secluded spot before the music began. They were safe from scrutiny though could easily spot their more outgoing classmates enjoying themselves.

“Hey, there’s Lance!” Pidge noted, slapping Keith’s arm insistently. Indeed, Lance seemed to be having the time of his life, gliding across the dance floor. Amazingly, he was dancing with the princess herself, and she was laughing along with him.

“With Princess Allura? Impressive.”

“That’s cute,” Pidge commented. “If you’re into that hetero nonsense.”

Keith laughed. “Not my cup of tea,” he confessed. “He looks happy, though. He’s always yelling around me.”

“Probably because you antagonize him”

He shrugged. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

“Hey,” she chirped. “Wanna meet my roommate, Hunk? I think you two would get along!”

“Where is he?”

She pointed toward the dance floor. “Probably dancing with this girl he’s got a crush on. Oh, Lance is with some guy now. Maybe he swings both ways.” She elbowed Keith, waggling her eyebrows. “Interesting, huh?”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s certainly none of my concern who Lance dances with.” Still, he found himself searching for his tutor. His eyes widened when he spotted him, making eyes at Shiro, of all people. Keith could only laugh. “Let’s find your friend,” he stated. Pidge nodded, grabbing his arm and pulling him between the dancers across the floor.

Shiro and Lance noticed him at about the same time, both giving him a friendly wave which he returned, though a bit too late for them to notice. Pidge had picked up the pace, and he assumed that meant she’d spotted her friend.

They ended up on the opposite side of the dance floor in a matching alcove to their previous hiding spot, thought this one held a beverage cart and thus more people were drawn to it. Among them was a larger Earthling and what Keith assumed to be a Balmeran woman.

“Hunk!” Pidge dashed over to the Earthling, nodding a greeting toward his companion. “Hey Shay.”

“Hello, Pidge,” the Balmeran smiled.

“What’s up, dude?” Hunk asked.

“I met the famous Keith!” she began, waving Keith over. “Keith, this is Hunk and Shay.”

“Nice to meet you, man,” Hunk smiled warmly. Shay waved and smiled politely, seeming a bit shyer. “So you’re the one giving my boy a hard time?”

“Your boy?”

“We’re friends with Lance. Like I said, he talks a lot, and this week it’s all been about you. Good things, of course!” she clarified on seeing Keith’s glare.

“I’m not trying to give him a hard time,” he frowned. “I’m just not good with some subjects.”

“Hey, I’m just teasing!” Hunk reassured. “Lance is the perfect guy for the job, I think! He really helped me with my essays, and he helped Pidge and Shay with biology!” They nodded. “He’s a nice guy; I could see him being a future Coran, mustache and all!”

Keith chuckled. Looking back, he supposed Lance really was a good teacher. At the very least, he was patient with Keith, even when he lashed out in frustration. The only insults Lance ever had for him were silly quips about his hair or attitude, never about his grades or thoughts. He even went out of his way to try different approaches than those taught in lecture… surely he spent hours outside of class preparing those practice worksheets he kept making Keith do.

He turned from his new friends, once again finding Lance cutting across the dance floor with grace, a new partner in tow. He didn’t notice, but a soft smile appeared on his face.

Behind his back, Pidge and Hunk exchanged the subtlest of fist bumps.


	3. Chapter 3

Lance was exhausted—it’d been a while since he’d attended a good, old-fashioned ball. He’d danced with more people than he could honestly remember, conversing with each of them. As such, he’d exhausted his mind of any and all appropriate topics for polite conversation, and that on top of his sore feet, led to him falling asleep the second he touched his bed.

He awoke to a hearty beat on his door, the signature knock of his primary servant. Before he could speak, she rushed into the room, drew open the curtains, and drowned his quarters in light. He grumbled slightly, but made his way to his powder room, accepting the wet rag she offered and wiping at his face mask. She drew him a quick bath, reciting his daily schedule all the while.

After bathing and dressing, he made his way to the private dining area, where Allura and his father were already eating.

“Good morning,” he smiled brightly at the pair.

“Hello, Lance,” Allura returned the expression. “Did you enjoy yourself last night?”

“I did, indeed, dear sister! So many lovely people in this world, it’s incredible!” he sighed dramatically. “I may have to elope with that Shiro guy—how had I not noticed him yet?”

Allura laughed while Alfor only groaned. “He was a nice young man. Coran says he’s very adept, as well. A bit old for you, don’t you think?” she raised a brow.

“Ah, don’t worry, I was just doing some groundwork on your behalf! We’ve still gotta find you a strapping young suitor, you know!”

Alfor frowned into his bagel. “Can we not talk about marrying off Allura at breakfast?”

“Yeah, Lance,” she chided, though it was playful. “Wait till supper, at least.”

He whined. “But Shiro could be claimed by then!”

“By who?”

“Me, of course!” he winked. “Dad, do I have permission to marry Shiro?”

“No,” he said simply.

Lance sighed. “Who will I find to love, now?”

“There’s always your old fiancé,” Allura teased. “You used to have such fun with Lotor!”

He laughed. “Yeah, when we were like, five,” he scoffed. Feeling full, he stood. “Well, I should get going.”

“So early?” Allura asked. “You’ve hardly eaten!”

“I wanted to talk to Hunk—he made a move on this girl he likes last night, so I wanted to see how that went.” He waved goodbye to his family, then left the dining hall.

Allura chuckled at his antics. “He seems to have made some good friends.”

Alfor nodded. “I can’t recognize half of the things he’s saying these days, but he seems happy. The Garrison is good for him, I think.”

“I think so, too. By the end of it, I’ll be happy to see him more confident. I only hope he’s not too discouraged when he’s not chosen to be a Paladin. He’ll have learned a great many things anyway.”

Alfor raised a brow. “You don’t think he’ll be chosen?”

“You know I think very highly of Lance, but among all the other students… I don’t see him being in the top five. Do you? Besides, he has the personality of an Altean diplomat, not a soldier.”

Alfor only hummed in response.

* * *

“So you guys didn’t even kiss?” Lance cried. “What’s the point, Hunk? How am I supposed to live vicariously through you?”

“Geez, keep it down!” Hunk hissed. Pidge laughed at his discomfort. “What do you need to live vicariously through me for, anyway? You were the one dancing with people all night!”

He sighed, a dreamy look on his face. “Alas, I’m not allowed to romance a single person. My family won’t allow it.”

“Who is your family anyway, if you don’t mind me asking?” Pidge asked.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors,” he smirked, running his hands through his hair. “Or, perhaps you think that I’m a local celebrity? A model whose handsome face must be protected at all cost?”

“I don’t think those rumors are going around, buddy,” Hunk said.

“What? I worked so hard to start them,” he pouted. “Let’s just say, my family is pretty influential on Altea, and leave it at that. I don’t want people treating me differently. I’m finally starting to make friends!”

“Don’t worry, we won’t treat you differently. You’re still the same old asshole we’ve come to love for some reason,” Pidge smiled.

“You guys are too good to me,” he pretended to wipe a single tear from his eye. He looked up, recognizing Keith walking through the door. “Morning, Kogane!” he said.

“Morning,” he replied, clearly still sleepy. “How are you always so chipper?”

“Simple! I start the day with a healthy, balanced breakfast, and always try to get at least seven vargas of sleep per quintent!”

“Right,” he frowned, trying to do the Altean time conversions in his head. In their first tutoring session, Lance had helped him with a little shortcut, so he was having an easier go at it.

“Hey, you live with Shiro, don’t you?” Lance asked.

“Yeah.”

“Is he single?”

“Um, I think so.”

“Is he into guys? Or girls? Especially royal girls?”

“Oh!” Pidge interrupted. “That’s right, you were dancing with Princess Allura! Are you friends?”

He waved the question away. “Oh, of course, I’m friends with everyone in the royal family! We go way back! You know, Allura’s single. She and Shiro are about the same age, I think. But, if he’s looking for someone a bit more lowkey than the future ruler of Altea, I, too, am single,” he smirked.

“Wait, are you flirting with him through me for both you and the princess?”

“Yup!”

Pidge and Hunk laughed. “Doesn’t seem to be working. Sorry, Lance,” Hunk patted his friend's back.

Lance only smiled. “It’s no worries! I’ll get the next one, that’s for sure. Hey, Hunk, buddy, you’re still single—“

“Don’t even think about it, Lance.”

He snapped his fingers. “Damn, foiled again.” He stared around the room, hunting for a new victim. “I don’t know if my heart can take a fourth rejection in one morning!”

“Fourth? Wasn’t Hunk only your second?”

“I asked my dad if Shiro and I could elope and he said no.”

“Poor baby,” Pidge cooed. “How do you go on?”

“It’s anyone’s guess!” he cried. “You know, that Nyma girl seems cool. Although, she seemed a bit more interested in my title than my awesome story.”

“To be fair, your stories usually suck,” Hunk noted.

Keith nodded. “Especially if it was the one about your trip to the diamond geyser—“

“—from last summer, hey that’s a good one!” Lance interjected. “And maybe that was the story I told, but she didn’t even laugh, not even when I got to the funny part!”

“There was a funny part?” Keith asked.

Lance clutched at his heart. “You wound me, even worse than that diamond that embedded itself into my thigh after the geyser exploded!”

“Is he telling the geyser story?” a new voice asked on approaching the group.

“Hey, Shay,” Hunk smiled. “Nope, don’t worry.”

“Thank goodness, I didn’t want to have to sit somewhere else.”

“I’ll have you know, I told this story to King Alfor himself, and he was beside himself with laughter!”

“Maybe Alteans have a different sense of humor than us,” Pidge shrugged. “From what I’ve researched, Galra and Earth humor is pretty similar, both modern and pre-contact. I haven’t looked into Altean culture so much.”

“Shay and I tend to laugh at the same stuff, too,” Hunk noted. “Excluding this one joke she told me yesterday; that was just weird.”

“If you lived in a living cave you’d have understood it!” she huffed.

“You know, Galra humor is pretty funny, to me at least,” Hunk said. “Very blunt and a bit mean.”

“Keith is practically human, so he’s a horrible example,” Pidge said. “He’s been overexposed to our internet.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Keith be funny,” Lance said. “Don’t you have any jokes, Kogane?”

He rolled his eyes. “Your life’s enough of a joke, you don’t need my contribution.”

Lance stuck out his tongue, but his eyes shone with amusement. He opened his mouth to surely give a rebuttal, but the professor entered, calling everyone’s attention to the front of the room. The young students were far from enraptured, but they made sure to at the very least make it seem like they were paying attention, no matter how little they cared about quantum physics.

* * *

 

After a month of tutoring, the Garrison was scheduled closed for a week in celebration of Altea’s biggest holiday, a tradition dating back millennia that symbolized the discovery of the planet. Most business were also closed, and streets were cordoned off to make room for parades and street parties and performances. The foreign students were especially excited, as the locals did a good job of pumping them up for the festivities. They said they were lucky they were so close to the palace, as the capital city boasted the planet’s most extravagant performances.

However, before they could partake in any fair food or drink, the students had a bevy of exams and projects to get through, and those with low marks in either the classes or the flight simulations would be placed on probation. It was the first major round of exams, and the end of their “grace period”. By the second round, those on probation who hadn’t gotten their grades up or those failing that set of tests, would no longer be considered an option for Paladin. Lance’s lower scores had been steadily improving, so he wasn’t at risk of failing, but he also knew he wasn’t standing out much in the running, either. Keith, too, was getting better scores in class, though in other regards, he seemed to be approaching the average, however this was mainly due to the fact that everyone was improving as a group, not that he was getting worse. Shiro was now the top pilot and fighter, leagues ahead of the others, though they expected it given his age and Galra military experience. Lance had no idea how the man's other scores were, though he assumed they were top quality as Coran spoke very highly of him.

The week before Altea’s Founding Days was another important event for the royal family, as they hosted an annual peace celebration for the Galaxial Council members in commemoration of the ending of the Great War. It wasn’t open to the public, making it a rather exclusive and formal affair, and of course Lance was required to be in attendance. Instead of taking his exams at the Garrison, then, he was allowed to take them under the watchful eye of Coran in his home, as he’d have no time to make the physical journey every day on top of the receptions and meetings.

He hadn’t anticipated that his friends would be so worried about his absence, or that they wouldn’t have accepted Coran’s vague explanation as to why Lance wasn’t present for testing. And he certainly didn’t expect them to come barging in one morning, completely unannounced, while he, Allura, and the King were hosting the royal family of Galra for a light breakfast.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol oops a bit late with the update! I took time to write this 'cause I have an exam tomorrow :P

Though Keith ardently denied that he was worried about Lance, it was his idea to hunt him down after his second missed day of class. He insisted that he only wanted Lance able to take his exams so they could finish their impromptu competition that had been motivating his studies the past weeks, but Pidge and her smirk saw through that in a second. Thankfully, she only teased him for a few minutes before agreeing to help.

Pidge was something of a computer expert, and she’d cracked the Garrison’s system within days of their arrival solely in an effort to relieve her boredom—she was a scary one, that was for sure. Thus she was able to access the student database within seconds of deciding to help Keith.

“Alright,” she hummed, sliding through profiles on her handheld screen. “Um, do you know Lance’s last name?”

Keith frowned, looking back through his memories. He could see the simulation scores vividly, with names next to their respective owners. “I actually don’t know,” he confessed. “Do they have family names on Altea?”

“Oh, duh,” she pressed the backspace. “I think their second names are given to them after they ‘earn it’, or something weird like that. Lance is probably too young for that. I’ll filter it based on home location. We know, at least, that he lives pretty close to the capitol, right?” Keith nodded. “And he’s obviously Altean… I think he’s about… 19 years old? Though, not sure if that’s Altean or Earth units… There!” She clicked a file simply labeled “Lance”.

Within the file was a copy of his admittance letter, ID photo, class schedule, and recent test scores. Pidge skipped all that info, searching instead for his biographical statistics. She knew where the data _should_ be, having perused these files of others before, but surprisingly, his were missing.

“That’s weird,” she mused. “He’s got nothing in here. Even the admittance letter, the name of the school, his address… it’s all blocked out. No emergency contact, nothing medical…”

“Do you think it’s because he’s a noble?”

“Maybe, though I haven’t heard of Altean noble families being all that powerful, have you? If they were a big deal, we’d probably know of some of their names, I’d assume. And, why don’t the other Alteans know who he is?”

“You said yourself he didn’t go out a lot. Are we sure he lives close? What if he’s just staying out of the dorms but in town and is from somewhere else?”

“He eats breakfast with his dad, though, he says.”

“Is there any way you can get around this security?”

She shook her head. “It’s not a matter of me being locked out. It just… doesn’t exist.”

Keith crossed his arms, thinking. “What if… what if something happened to him?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, he hasn’t turned up in days… his file’s blank… maybe someone took him!”

“You’re crazy,” she laughed, though she wasn’t smiling. “I mean, Coran himself said we had no reason to worry about him.”

“He and Lance are pretty close,” Keith remarked. “I feel like they’ve known each other for a long time. If anyone knows the truth, it would be him.”

“And since Coran probably won’t be talking to us anytime soon, then it’s up to his computer to get us the info.”

“Do we have to steal it?”

She chuckled, rolling her eyes. “That’s old-school. The brilliance and flaw of Altean tech is its sole existence on the cloud. Physical limits don’t exist here! I just have to work my way around some walls, commit some minor identity fraud, the usual.”

“Oh,” Keith deflated. He’d been very ready for a high-stakes break-in, but alas. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Go fetch me a juice box. I should have something by the time you get back.”

He sighed. “What kind?”

* * *

 

Pidge’s info retrieval had only yielded more questions, and instead of an address, coordinates. Their location?

The palace.

Pidge and Keith were all for charging in and saving questions for later, but fortunately, Shiro stumbled upon Keith changing into his “stealth gear”—a black sweatshirt and dark jeans—and put a stop to their little operation. He, too, was a bit worried about Lance, especially once given more background on the strange data hole they’d found. So, he allowed for a search party to be sent, but he insisted they wait till morning and that they have more backup. Naturally, Hunk was called, and so instead of spending the night cramming for their afternoon exam, they rested in preparation for their mission, and then set out at sunrise.

The four of them proved to be an excellent team, almost frighteningly so. Pidge disable cameras and sentry bots, Hunk had a number of gadgets able to draw attention away from their path, Keith was agile enough to take care of any physical deterrents, and Shiro could coordinate like none other. Their greatest obstacle, then, were the Altean and, oddly enough, Galran guards standing outside the ballroom—the same one where they had had their banquet and dance. They still had no idea what they were looking for, to be honest, as none expected that Lance himself would be in the palace—it made no sense. They were simply looking for some answers, at the very least, and they figured the room with guards was a safe place to look.

Shiro confidently strolled up to the Galran guards, stating his name and showing his badge; they immediately saluted their superior, accepting his false story and letting him pass, without asking the Altean guards for approval.

The four students burst in, quickly shutting the door behind them. When they turned back, they saw several Alteans and Galrans gathered around a well-stocked table. Among them, Lance.

“My word,” Princess Allura swallowed her bite of pastry. “What’s the meaning of this? Guards!”

“No wait!” Lance stood, raising his hand. “They’re Garrison students. What are you guys doing here?”

“Uh, rescue mission, I guess?” Pidge shrugged. “What the hell are you doing here? Er, pardon the language.”

“Don’t be silly, English is standard among Galaxial Council planets,” Lance waved it off, not understanding Pidge’s words. “This is pretty awkward.”

“Perhaps you should tell them the truth,” the King suggested. “In private. I think we’re giving our guests unnecessary worry.”

One Galran, a man with long, slicked-back white hair, chuckled. “It’s not a bother, my lord. Trips to Altea are always refreshing. I’m just curious what trouble our dear Lance has gotten himself into this time.”

Lance flushed. “Shut up, Lotor. These are my friends, obviously here to save me from your stifling conversation,” he rolled his eyes. The man, Lotor, hardly seemed perturbed by the barb, and only laughed. “May I be excused?”

“Of course,” the King nodded.

Lotor stood, making his way behind Lance and pulling out his chair. Despite their previous animosity, Lance accepted the offered hand, even deigning himself and allowing Lotor to kiss his hand after rising. He slipped away from the table and glided over to his friends, corralling them back into the hallway. With a brusque wave of his hand, the guards made themselves scarce, and the five were alone.

“Alright,” Lance began. “So, I haven’t lied to you guys, per se, but I’ve been holding back on some truths. I _am_ a rather high ranking noble around here… er, one of the highest, actually.” He wrung his hands, frowning, his usual confidence nowhere in sight. “I didn’t want to lie, you see, but I had no choice! I mean, it was hard enough passing as a noble, but as _me_? Man… I was lucky the other Alteans were from so far away and weren’t involved in court stuff… otherwise this never would’ve worked! And, I just don’t want you guys treating me differently! I mean, you were chill with the half-truth, but the whole? I don’t know—“

“Lance,” Keith interjected, gripping Lance’s shoulder firmly. “Stop rambling. Just tell us.” He attempted to soften his glare, though he wasn’t sure if he was successful. “Please,” he added as an afterthought.

Lance exhaled loudly. “Alright. Just don’t, like, freak out or anything, promise?” The group nodded. “I’m the Prince,” he stated. “Of Altea. Obviously.”

He let the words settle for a few ticks… a few more. After nearly a dobash of silence, he grew worried. “Uh, guys? You’re not exactly reassuring me that you’re not freaking out.”

Recognizing his growing distress, Shiro patted his back. “Sorry, Lance. It’s just a lot to take in. But, you deserve to be at the Garrison, just like the rest of us. No matter who you are, I’d be happy to have the chance to pilot Voltron with you.”

They were the perfect words to boost Lance’s mood, and his smile was radiant—not his usual, flashy smile he constantly held, but a genuine grin. “Thanks, Shiro.”

“That explains a lot, actually,” Pidge said. “I’m glad you’re not kidnapped, or anything.”

“I’m just mad you haven’t been inviting us over for dinner! The food at the Garrison is shit, but that banquet cuisine? Amazing! You must eat like a king every day!” Hunk said.

Lance laughed. “My dad’s pretty picky, so I honestly probably eat better than a king!” He turned to Keith, opened his mouth to something, and then changed his mind. “I’m sure you guys understand that this information can’t get out. It’s a bit of a security issue, you see. Though we’re at peace now, with Voltron revealing itself, my father fears that war may be coming soon. It’s possible Altea could have new enemies, and hurting the royal family would certainly be a priority for some.”

Shiro nodded. “Of course. You can trust us.”

“It’s kind of weird,” Pidge mused. “Bringing all these unknown foreigners in and giving them access to a weapon of mass destruction… almost invites a bit more risk for you all, don’t you think?”

“We have a lot of faith in Voltron, actually. We don’t talk about it a lot in school, but the average Altean… we revere it. We don’t think it’s possible for a bad Paladin to exist. The Lions only pick those who are worthy and peace-loving. Anyone with evil intention wouldn't be a threat.”

Keith’s frown only deepened. Shiro noticed, and, knowing Keith, was hesitant to allow him to speak and so interjected. “We mainly came because we were worried you were missing exams. Well, and Keith thought you’d been killed. So, I assume you’ve got that all figured out?”

“Yup! Coran gave me the exams already, so I’m done! We’re hosting a lot of Council members this week, which is why I’m so busy.”

“That’s good,” Shiro said. “Well, unlike you, we’ve still got exams to take. We should let you get back to your family.”

“Are you sure? You could stay for breakfast. Perhaps you know Lotor, Shiro?”

“The prince? I can’t say I’ve met him, though I know his uncle.”

“Kolivan, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“He’s visiting on behalf of King Zarkon and Queen Haggar, as they’re both busy on Galra. I haven’t seen him in years, not since I was very young,” he chuckled. “We used to be pretty good friends, but now he’s just an ass. My mother insisted on it, as she and Haggar were cousins who grew up together. Anyway, I’m sure you don’t want to hear all that nonsense. He’s very nice to people who aren’t me, so you’d have a good time.”

“I’m down,” Hunk said. “Royal food? Royal people? What’s not to like?”

“How could I say no to meeting the prince of Galra?” Pidge asked.

“Oh, you didn’t seem so touched to have met the prince of Altea!” Lance pouted.

“Maybe if it wasn’t you,” she teased. “Hopefully this Lotor guy’s got more going on than you!”

“I think I should head back. Get some extra studying in,” Shiro said. “Keith, you coming with me?”

“Yeah, sure,” he replied, finally speaking. He turned, not even offering a word of parting.

Shiro was more polite than him, and after his goodbye, he rushed to catch up to Keith.

“You alright?” he asked.

Keith shrugged.

“I’ll take that as a 'no'. What is it?”

“It’s just… weird, I guess.”

“It is a lot…” he repeated. “But, he’s still Lance, right? Still your friend?”

“We’re not friends,” he snapped.

“Right,” Shiro chuckled. “Not friends. Total enemies. Rivals with a prince. What’s that like?”

“I just…” Keith ignored his jests. “He’s so… Altean. Going on about Voltron as if it’s some kind of holy deity? That the Paladins are arbiters of justice? They murdered millions of us, Shiro!”

He sighed. “Millions of Galran soldiers set on genocide, that’s true. You know I love Galra as she is now, but during the War… I mean, the only reason I’m Galran is because they kidnapped my ancestors as slaves. I can't sympathize with them…”

“I know they were wrong, I’m not trying to say they weren’t… but, Altea was wrong too. They went too far, the war was almost over, anyway. Earth had managed to change the tides, and then out of nowhere, Altea obliterated us with Voltron… our infrastructure, centuries of culture, all gone. Galra’s only as awful as it is because we’re still recovering! And Lance… he just… doesn’t understand that.”

“Well, how could he? He never lived it. He’s a prince, Keith, of Altea. He’s not Galran, not a poor soldier like you and me. But, unlike many Galran royals, he seems a lot more approachable. Just, give him a chance. He could surprise you. Maybe you could teach him a thing or two.”

“I don’t know even know why I’m here,” he confessed. “All this work… there’s no way a Lion will choose me, not if they can see inside my head. They’ll know that my only goal is to destroy Voltron.”

Shiro nodded. He’d never heard Keith confess that out loud, but he’d long since figured it out on his own. “You never know. Maybe Voltron will realize that only its destruction could bring true peace. Such a weapon… it’s terrifying. I don’t believe in it as the Alteans do, but I do think it knows something we don’t. Something’s coming, and soon. But after? I only hope the universe never needs Voltron again.”

“Me too,” he sighed. “Me too.”


End file.
